healthcare • Telehealth • technology • innovation • 3 min read • Jan 21, 2014 12:00:00 AM • Written by: Brad Ranks
Technology and medicine seem to go hand-in-hand in today’s market. New inventions have made it possible to streamline medical treatments and make healthcare accessible. Here are 4 innovative and promising technologies projected to expand in 2014:
Anesthesia Support System
Anesthesia is required for more than 51 million surgical procedures in the United States every year. In order to improve results and meet these demands, a new system for managing anesthesia was created. This system helps record events, drugs, and procedures, ensuring that protocol is followed and serious errors are avoided. It has also been noted that machines may even start replacing anesthesiologists in the Operating Room due to increased need for anesthetic administration.
Heart Disease Biomarker
With the number of cardiovascular-related deaths rising each year, scientists have uncovered a new way to forecast if certain people may be at risk. Biomarkers- characteristics used to indicate a specific biological state- that are already used to test for heart disease include cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and metabolism. However, a byproduct of intestinal bacteria called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) has also been proven to be a predictor of heart disease. Researchers found that those with high levels of TMAO had double the risk of cardiovascular issues, signaling that some of the bacteria in our digestive tract may be a good indicator of stroke and heart attack risks. In the future, physicians may soon be able to provide personalized diets to patients in hopes of preventing heart disease.
Genetic Testing for Cancer Tumors
One of the most devastating truths about cancer is that, once detected, it is often too late to completely cure it. Although aggressive treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are advocated by physicians and their patients, alternatives now exist that would alleviate some of this hardship. Genomic-based testing techniques can now analyze the genes in a tumor and help predict the level of malignancy. Hopefully, this will make cancer treatment decisions easier for both patients and providers.
Telehealth Platforms
We wouldn’t be doing the future of medicine justice without discussing the impact of telehealth. Even though the concept has been around for quite some time, the field is growing exponentially, and more patients are treated online every year. In 2014, more “specialized” telehealth visits are projected to take place. Presently, most patients are treated for low-acuity conditions. However, in the near future, new platforms like telepsychiatry, teleneurology, and teleradiology are forecasted to break into the telehealth space. Another exciting development in the telehealth field is occurring in state legislature; many states are revising their laws and regulations to expand the scope of telehealth. Check out this link from the American Telemedicine Association to stay up to date on this progress.
With all these new breakthroughs in medicine, 2014 is already proving to be a ground-breaking year. If you know of any other medical technologies, spread the word and let us know!
Sources:
Top 10 Innovations for 2014.
Intestinal Microbial Metabolism of Phosphatidylcholine and Cardiovascular Risk.
